Lipstick case



Feb. 24, 1953 D. M. SEE ,62

LIPSTICK CASE Filed Nov. 18, 1949 r 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 -FIO. I.

IN VEN TOR. pAmEL MARC sac.

BY Wad/ $6M ATTORN EY$ Feb. 24, 1953 D. M. SEE LIPSTICK cm:

2 SHEETS -SHEET 2 FIG. 5.

Filed Nov. 18, 1949 FIG. 4-.

FIG. 6.

FIG-.7.

I INVENTQR DANIEL MARC SEE ATTORNEY5 Patented Feb. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIPSTICK CASE Daniel Marc See, South Norwalk, Conn.

Application November 18, 1949, Serial No. 128,151

3 Claims. 1 My invention relates to improvements in cosmetic containers, and. in particular to an improved retractable lipstick case of the swivel type in which the lipstick holder or cup may be removed and replaced.

In my prior U. S. Patent No. 2,355,565 issued August 3, 1944, I have disclosed a lipstick case of the swivel type which was provided with the usual longitudinal and helical slots into which the projecting pin of the lipstick cup extended and was moved longitudinally within the case when one of the slots was rotated relative to the other. Both of the slots were open at their bot.- tom ends so that the lipstick cup could be removed 'irom the lipstick case and a new cup inserted.

The lipstick case also had a removable base closure member which could be detached for removal of the lipstick cup.

The aforementioned lipstick ease described in said patent was found, however, to be subject to several disadvantages which made the operation thereof cumbersome and difficult. For instance, the construction of the lipstick cup and of the base closure member was such that said cup would drop out of engagement with the alined open bottom ends of the slots when the cup was brought to its fully retracted position. The cup would then rest upon the bottom wall of the base closure member in a position in which its pin could not re-engage with the bottoms of the slots when it was again desired to advance the lipstick. It was therefore necessary to remove the base closure member and reinsert the pin of the lipstick cup into the bottoms of the alined slots each time the lipstick cup Was to be propelled from its fully retracted position.

In addition, the construction of the casing was such that it was necessary to aline the bottom open ends of the slots before the pin of the lipstick cup could be operatively inserted therein. This was a dimcult and inconvenient operation of the user to perform since the relative positions of the ends of the slots were not readily discernible from the bottom of the lipstick casing.

I provide an improved lipstick casing in which the aforementioned 'difilculties are eliminated.

It is an object of my invention to provide a lipstick container of the character described in which the lipstick cup Will remain in operative engagement with the actuating slots, even when the lipstick cup is fully retracted in the casing.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a lipstick container of the character de scribcd in which the removable base closure member :15 firmly locked in position so that it cannot 2 be f rc bly d ta hed by the l p t ck cup w n said can is ully re acted- Still another object of my invention is the provision of a lipstick ontainer of the ype s rib d in whi h the li st k we may e ins r l nd automatically br u ht in o pe a i po ition even. whe the a tua ng slots are n initially alined- Qth r bjec s and a vanta es of he inv ntion will be r adily app rent in th course of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. .1 is an exploded perspective view of a lipstick container made according to my invention, with portions of the parts thereof being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a partial vertical section of the lower portion of the assembled lipstick container;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the lipstick container shown partially broken away and partially in section, with the container turned 99 from the position of Fig. 2-;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the lower portion or" a different type of lipstick case embodying a modification of my invention;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section similar to Fig. .4, but with the iipstick case turned and the lipstick cup removed.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section similar to Fig. 5, but with the lipstick case turned from the position of Fig. 5 and the lipstick cup inserted.

Fig. '7 is a vertical section of the entire lipstick case of Figs. 4H6.

Referring in detail to the drawings and in particular to Figs. 1 through 3, the improved lipstick container generally comprises an outer casing 10, an intermediate sleeve l I, an inner sleeve 1 2, a lower casing l3, a retractable lipstick holder or cup i l, a base closure member l5, and a cover or closure cap IS. The relative positions of these members are shown in the exploded view of Fig. 1, while Fig. 3 shows the members in their assembled position with the exception of the closure cap 16. The members may be made of metal or any other-suitable material used in the construction .of lipstick casings. All of the aforementioned parts'are preferably cylindrical, although the outer casing and closure cap may be made in any desiredgeometric shape.

The inner sleeve I2 has a vertical cylindrical wall which terminates in a lower enlarged portion ll of increased diameter, which enlarged portion l1 formsa shoulder 18 with said vertical wall. The enlar ed portion 11 has an internal helical thread 1,9. Inner sleeve l2 also contains a longitudinal slot 28, the upper end of which is spaced from the top of said sleeve I2, and the lower end of which extends through the shoulder I8, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Inner sleeve I2 also has a laterally-projecting peripheral rib 2I located above the top of longitudinal slot 23.

Lower casing I3 has a cylindrical wall which also terminates in an integral enlarged bottom portion 22, the inner diameter of said bottom portion conforming in size to the outer diameter of the enlarged lower portion H of inner sleeve I2. In assembly the enlarged portion I1 is secured within the enlarged portion 22 as by a force fit, so that the inner sleeve I2 and the lower casing I3 will turn in unison.

The intermediate sleeve I I is made of a length which is equal or approximately equal to the distance between the peripheral rib 2I and the shoulder I8 of inner sleeve I2. Said intermediate sleeve contains a helical groove 23 which extends from the top of said sleeve II to the bottom thereof.

Outer casing Ill has a cylindrical longitudinal wall, the outer surface of which bears a peripheral rib 26 which is spaced from the bottom edge thereof. Outer casing II) has an inner di ameter which is slightly smaller than the normal outer diameter of intermediate sleeve II. Said sleeve II is made of a resilient material which enables said intermediate sleeve II to be pressfit within outer casing Ii] in its assembled position shown in Fig. 3 in which said intermediate sleeve II is tightly and rigidly retained within outer casing II and will turn with outer casing H. It may be said, therefore, that the intermediate sleeve I I serves to present a helical track on the inner surface of outer casing II). If the outer casing I is made of a plastic or similar composition, the helical track may be moulded directly into the inner wall of said outer casing Ill, although in the preferred embodiment in which said casing is made of metal, it is more economical to use the slotted intermediate sleeve The lipstick cup I4 is of the usual type, having ;a transverse cross section similar to that of inner sleeve I2, and containing a lipstick L. The cup I4 has a laterally-extending pin or pintle 21 which may extend transversely through the body lipstick from said cup.

In the assembly of the lipstick container, the inner sleeve I2 and the lower casing I3 are first rigidly secured together at their respective enlarged lower portions I! and 22, as was previously described. The resilient intermediate sleeve II is then slipped over the top of inner sleeve I2 and is pressed downwardly until the bottom edge of said intermediate sleeve isresting upon the shoulder I8 of inner sleeve I2. In this position, the intermediate sleeve I I fits snugly between the shoulder I8 and the peripheral rib 2I of inner sleeve I2, and is thus restrained from longitudinal movement. The outer casing I6 is then inserted over the intermediate sleeve II to its secured position in which its peripheral rib 2S abuts the top edge of lower casing I3 as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The outer casing I0 is turnable relative to lower casing I3.

The lipstick cup I4 is then inserted in its operative position within the lipstick casing in a manner which will be presently described. In this operative position, the projecting pin 21 of said lipstick cup extends through the alined portions of the longitudinal slot 20 and the helical slot 23. The lipstick cup I4 and its contained lipstick L may be raised or lowered in the usual manner by rotating the inner sleeve I2 relative to the intermediate sleeve II, which movement may be performed by rotating the lower casing I3 relative to the outer casing III. The position of the lipstick cup I4 within the lipstick case depends upon the point at which the helical slot 23 intersects the longitudinal slot 20. The helical slot 23 extends in such a direction that the lipstick cup I4 is raised or propelled within the casing when the lower casing I3 is turned in a clockwise direction and is lowered or retracted when said lower casing I3 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction.

The base closure member I5 has a vertical wall which is provided with an external helical thread 28, which matches the internal helical thread I9 of inner sleeve I2. Said base closure member I5 may thus be removably but rigidly secured to the bottom of the assembled lipstick case as shown in Fig. 3. The bottom wall of said base closure member I5 has a diameter which conforms in size to the outer diameter of the enlarged bottom portion 22 of lower casing I3 The outer edge of said base closure member I5 therefore, is flush with the outer lower wall of the lipstick case. In order to attach and detach the base closure member IS, the bottom wall of said closure member is provided with a transverse groove 29 into which a coin, key, or similar article may be inserted for turning said base closure member I5. This slot 29 forms a protruding rib 29a on the inner surface of said bottom wall. The lipstick cup I4 rests upon this protruding rib 29a when said cup is brought to its fully retracted position shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

When lipstick L contained in the lipstick cup I4 becomes depleted or damaged, or when it is desired to change the lipstick for one of a different shade, the lipstick cup I4 and its contained lipstick L may be entirely removed from the lipstick case. This operation is accomplished by bringing the lipstick cup I4 to the fully retracted position shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in which the bottom ends of the slots 20 and 23 are in alinement. The base closure member I5 may then be removed, and the pin 2'! of lipstick cup I4 will disengag from th alined bottoms of the slots, so that the cup I4 will drop out of the casing.

In order to reinsert the lipstick cup I4 to its operative position within the lipstick case, it is only necessary to insert the pin 21 into the bottom open end of the longitudinal slot 20 of inner sleeve I2, attach the base closure member I5 to its fully secured position, and turn the lower casing I3 in a clockwise direction. The pin 21 will enter the bottom of the helical slot 23 even if the bottom of said helical slot 23 is not initially alined with the bottom of longitudinal slot 20. For this purpose the bottom edge Ila of intermediate sleeve II is inclined uniformly in the same direction as the curvature of the helical slot 23, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thus, the highest point on the bottom. edge Ila is located adjacent the top edge of the end of helical slot 23 as indicated by reference numeral 25 in Fig. 2, while the lowest point on said bottom wall I la is located adjacent the bottom edge of said helical slot 23, as indicated by reference numeral 24.

The construction of the lipstick case is such that when the pin 21 is inserted in the longitudinal slot 29, and the base closure member I5 is screwed into position, the pin will be held against the highest point 25 of the bottom wall Hit of the resilient intermediate sleeve ll under a slight pressure. Should any other portion of the bottom wall la be in registry with the longitudinal slot as at the time, the pin 21 will exert a proportionately increased pressure upon said portion. When the lower casing 13 is turned in a clockwise direction, th pin 2'! will slide along the bottom wall Ha of the intermediate sleeve ll until it reaches the position shown in Fig. 2 at which said pin automatically enters the helical slot 23. In this connection, it should be noted that the vertical distance between the lowermost point 24 and the uppermost point 25 of bottom edge Ha is at least as large as the width of the slot 23.

The insertion of the lipstick cup I l to its operative position within the lipstick case is therefore simple and easy operation and merely involves the dropping of the projecting pin '2'! into the bottom of the longitudinal slot 20, replacing the base closur member I5 to its fully inserted position, and the turning of the lower casing i 3 clockwise relative to the outer casing 10.

The pin 2'! is located well above the bottom edge of lipstick cup l4, so that when the lipstick cup is dropped into the open bottom end of the lipstick case, the bottom end of the lipstick cup may be grasped and turned until the pin 2'! enters the open end of longitudinal slot '20.

The position of the pin 21 is also critical in the efficient operation of the lipstick case. It willbe noted that in the fully retracted position of the lipstick cup 2?, the bottom wall of said cup 21 is seated upon the ridge 29a formed'by the transverse groove 29 of base closure member IS. The distance of the pin 21 above the bottom wall oi cup 21, in relation to the height of the ridge 29a must be such that the pin 21 is always held against the bottom edge Ila of intermediate sleev H. Thus, when the base closure member I5 is inserted and the lower casing 13 turned in a clockwise direction, the entry of the pin 2"! into the bottom of helical groove'23' is insured. If the transverse groove 29 and its corresponding ridge 29a is eliminated, the pin '2'! must be raised a greater distance above the bottom of the cup [4, or else the length of the cup I4 must be increased proportionately.

As an alternative method of inserting the lipstick cup I4, the lipstick casing may be inverted and the pin 2! dropped into the open end of iongitudinal slot 26. Before inserting the base closure member E5, the lower casing I3 is turned'in a clockwise direction. The weight of the cup [4 and its contained lipstick L in the inverted lipstick case will cause the pin 21 to ride along the bottom edge Ila of intermediate sleeve II and to enter the helical groove 23. The base closure member [5 may then be attached.

When, during ordinary use of the lipstick case, it is desired to bring the lipstick cup l4- to its fully retracted position without removing said lipstick cup, the base closure member I5 is, of course, not removed. The bottom wall of the cup it will come to rest upon the rib- 2 9a and the pin 2'! will remain within the longitudinal slot 2i] oiinner casing i2. Fig. 2 shows the position of pin 2'! relative to the helical slot 23 of intermediate casing II. If the lower casing I3 is turned further in a counter-clockwise direction, the pin 2'! will leave the helical slot 23 and ride in a counterclockwise direction along the bottom edge I la 01! intermediate sleeve ll. When it is again desired to advance the lipstick cup 14, the lower casing I3 is turned clockwise, and the pin 14 will automatically re-enter the helical slot 23 in the manner previously described. The lipstick cup M is therefore always held in a position in which it may be operatively actuated. This is a decided improvement over the lipstick ease disclosed in my aforementioned U. S. Patent No. 2,355,565 in which the lipstick cup would drop out of operativ' contact with the longitudinal slot as well as the helical slot, each time said cup was brought to its fully retracted position.

The assembly of the lipstick case is completed by the cover or closure cap l6 which has an inner diameter sized to fit frictionally around the upper vertical wall of lower casing '13.

Figs. 4-7 show a modification of my invention as applied to a swivel-type lipstick of a diiierent design. As shown in Fig. *7, the lipstick case has an inner sleeve .35 which is similar to the innersleeve 12 of the previously described embodiment, having a longitudinal slot .36 which terminates in an enlarged lower portion 3'! which lower portion has an internal thread 38. The enlarged lower portion 31 forms a shoulder 39 with the upper wall of inner sleeve 35. The inner sleeve 35 also has a'peripheral rib 40 adjacent its top edge.

The resilient intermediate sleeve 4! is rotatably mounted about the inner sleeve .35, between the shoulder 39 and the peripheral rib 4i]. Said intermediate sleeve 41 has a bottom wall .4 la which has a depending or lowermost segment 42. The remainder of the wall is planar and corresponds to the uppermost portion 25 of the previously described intermediate sleeve ll. The depending segment 42 is located adjacent the lower edge of the bottom of a helical slot 43 which extends from the top to the bottom of intermediate sleeve 4|. An inclined surface 42a. is formed at the junction point of the depending segment 42 with the planar upper portion of bottom wall Ma, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. The height of the lower segment 42 is at least as .great as the width of the helical slot 43.

The outer casing 44 has an enlarged protruding peripheral rib 45 approximately at its center. The intermediate sleeve Ill is frictionally fit within said outer casing 45 so that said intermediate sleeve will turn when said outer casing is turned.

Lower casing 46 is cylindrical and has a uniform diameter throughout its length, there being no lower enlarged portion as in the previouslydescribed lower casing 53. The lower casing 4c is press fit about the enlarged lower portion 31 of inner sleeve 35, with its top edge abutting the peripheral rib 45 of outer casing 44. The inner sleeve 35 is thus adapted to turn in unison with lower casing 46.

The lipstick cup 4? has a shorter length relative to the lipstick casing than the cup E4 of the previous embodiment. The. projecting pin 48 is also located lower in the cup 41, it being adjacent the bottom edge thereof. In order to grip the contained lipstick L, the cylindrical wall of lipstick cup 57 has a U-shaped slit 49 which defines a cut-out section 59. This cut-out section 50 may be pressed inwardly until it bites into the body of the lipstick L.

The base closure member 51 has a high solid insert portion 52 which is provided with an external thread 53 which matches the internal thread 38 of the enlarged lower portion 31 of inner sleeve 35. This insert portion 52 is preferably integral with an enlarged headpiece 54 lower casing 46 is turned clockwise relative to the outer casing 44, the lipstick cup 41 will be propelled or advanced. When the lower casing 46 is turned in a counter-clockwise direction, the lipstick cup 41 may be brought to its fully retracted position shown in Fig. '7. In this fully retracted position the lipstick cup 41 rests upon the upper surface of the inserted base closure member with the pin 48 remaining in the longitudinal slot 36 of inner sleeve 35. If the base closure member 5| is not detached and the lower casing 46 is continued to be turned in a counterclockwise direction, the pin will leave the helical slot 43 and ride along the bottom wall Ma, down the inclined surface 42a and over the depending segment 42.

The lipstick cup 41 may be removed from the lipstick case in the same manner as with the embodiment of Figs. 1-3, namely by bringing said lipstick cup to its fully retracted position and removing the base closure member 5|.

Since the pin 48 of lipstick cup 4? is located proximate to the bottom wall of said lipstick cup :27, the insert portion 52 of base closure member 5! must be made of sufiicient height to engage the bottom wall of said lipstick cup in its fully retracted position and maintain pin 48 in slidable abutment with the bottom edge 41a of intermediate sleeve 4!.

If the cup 4i is constructed with the pin 48 located a greater distance from the bottom wall thereof, it is obvious that the height of the base closure member may be proportionately decreased.

Since the pin 48 in the fully retracted position orthe lipstick cup 41 is always held in abutment with said bottom edge 41a of intermediate sleeve, it is apparent that said pin will always enter into operative engagement with the bottom end of helical slot 43 when the lower casing 46 is turned in a clockwise direction. This is true even though the helical slot 43 may not be initially alined with the longitudinal slot 36. In order to insert the lipstick cup 41, therefore, it is merely necessary to drop the pin 48 in the open bottom end of longitudinal slot 36.

In order to insure that the pin 48 enters the longitudinal slot 36 when the lipstick cup 41 is inserted in the open bottom end of the lipstick case, the internal thread 38 of the enlarged bottom portion 37 of inner sleeve 35 is flattened immediately below the longitudinal slot 36. This flattened portion defines a longitudinal groove 55 extending through said internal thread 38. This longitudinal groove 55 communicates with the longitudinal slot 36 and is, in effect, a continuation of said longitudinal slot 36. One end of said groove 55 is alined with and accessible from the open end of the lipstick case. The internal diameter of the internal threaded portion 38 has a sufficiently small inner diameter to prevent the lipstick cup 41 from being inserted therethrough unless the pin 48 is alined with the longitudinal groove 55. I To insert the cup 41 through the open end of the lipstick case it is therefore necessary to place the pin in the open end of longitudinal groove 55. The pin will then slide through said groove 55 and enter the longitudinal slot 36. Fig. 4 shows the pin 41 in the course of its travel through longitudinal groove 55, while Fig. 6 shows the pin after it has left said groove 55 and entered the slot 36.

By providing a screw-type base closure member in-the lipstick casings, I have eliminated the possibility of said closure member being forcibly detached when the cup is brought to its fully retracted position. It is to be understood, however, that any of the well known and equivalent means of attachment may be substituted for the threaded means of attachment, as, for example, a bayonet slot and pin, or the like.

Alternatively, the base closure member may be frictionally fitted within the open end of the lipstick case. If this construction is applied to the type of container shown in Figs. 1-3, it is apparent that the transverse slot 29 may be eliminated. If this is done, the cup may be made longer, and will protrude beyond the open end of the lipstick case in a position in which it may be more easily grasped for guiding the pin into the longitudinal slot. The cylindrical wall of base closure member may also be provided with vertical slits in the well-known manner to provide several resilient wall sections which hold the closure member in secured position under tension.

While preferred embodiments of the invention have been shown and described herein, it is obvious that numerous changes, omissions, and additions may be made in the invention without departin from the spirit and scope thereof. For instance, the modifications of structure in the embodiments shown may be freely interchanged. In the claims, the lipstick case, for convenience, is described as being held in a vertical upright position, it being understood that the case may be held in any position in use.

I claim:

1. A swivel-type lipstick case comprising an outer casing, an intermediate casing fixed within said outer casing and turnable therewith, an inner casing turnably mounted within said intermediate casing, a lipstick holder, and a removable closure member secured to the bottom end of said lipstick case, said intermediate casing having a helical slot formed therein, which has an open bottom end extending through the bottom edge of said intermediate sleeve, said inner casing having a longitudinal slot formed therein which has an open bottom end, said lipstick holder having a laterally projecting pin sized to fit within said helical and longitudinal slots to advance and retract said lipstick holder within said inner casing when said inner casing is turned in respective opposite directions relative to said intermediate casing, said lipstick holder being movable to a fully retracted position in which said pin is located in the registering bottom open ends of the longitudinal slot and helical slot for removal of said lipstick holder when the closure member is removed, said closure member in its secured position abutting the bottom surface of the lipstick holder and acting as stop means to prevent said lipstick holder pin from falling below the bottom open end of said longitudinal slot when the lipstick holder is in its fully retracted position, the bottom edge of said intermediate sleeve having an inclined cam surface adjacent the bottom open end of said helical slot positioned to engage and guide said pin into said helical slot when the bottom end of the helical slot is out of registry with the bottom end of said longitudinal slot, the pin is placed in the bottom open end of the longitudinal slot, and the intermediate sleeve is turned in a direction to advance the lipstick holder.

2. A swivel-type lipstick case comprising an outer casing, a resilient intermediate casing fixed within said outer casing and turnable therewith, an inner casing turnably mounted within said intermediate casing, a lipstick holder, and a removable closure member secured to the bottom end of said lipstick case, said intermediate casing having a helical slot formed therein, said slot having a bottom open end, said inner casing having a longitudinal slot formed therein which has a bottom open end, said lipstick holder having a laterally-projecting pin which operatively and slidably engages registering portions of the helical and longitudinal slots, said lipstick holder being thu adapted to be moved longitudinally within said lipstick case when the inner casing is turned relative to the intermediate casing, and to be repelled to its fully retracted position in which said pin is located at the bottom of said longitudinal slot, aid closure member acting as a stop means to retard the downward movement of said lipstick holder and to prevent said pin from moving out of contact with the bottom open end of said longitudinal slot when the lipstick holder is brought to its fully retracted position, said intermediate sleeve having a bottom edge which has an inclined sur face leading to the upper edge of the bottom end of said helical slot, the vertical distance between said inclined surface and lower-most portion of the helical slot being greater than the diameter of said pin, said pin being located a sufiicient distance above the bottom of said lipstick holder to enable said closure member to maintain the fully retracted lipstick holder with its pin abutting the bottom edge of the intermediate sleeve and in position to operatively engage with the helical slot.

3. In a swivel type lipstick case, an outer casing, a sleeve fitted on the lower end of said outer casing and projecting downwardly therefrom, the

internal diameter of said downwardly projecting part being greater than the external diameter of said outer casing, an intermediate casing fixed within said outer casing and provided with a spiral slot extending from the top to bottom of said intermediate casing and open at each end, an inner casing having a longitudinal rectilinear slot therethrough, said inner casing having an enlarged and screw-threated end revolubly fitting in the downwardly projecting end of said sleeve, a closure having threaded engagement with the enlarged end of the inner casing and a closed end engaging against the lower end of said sleeve, and a lipstick cup normally resting on the bottom of said closure and provided with a radial pin extending through the rectilinear slot into said spiral slot, the top of the enlarged end of the inner casing having an abrupt upwardly facing shoulder whereon the intermediate casing rests, the bottom edge of the intermediate casing forming a sharp cusp in connection with one side of said spiral slot at its lowermost point and rising gradually through a helix of substantially 360 to meet the opposite side of said spiral slot.

DANIEL MARC SEE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,632,765 Noble June 14, 1927 1,695,625 Wild Dec. 18, 1928 2,022,075 Cabrera Nov. 26, 1935 2,171,112 Hoffman Aug. 29, 1939 2,355,565 See Aug. 8, 194 i 2,432,999 Mackey Dec. 23, 1947 2,511,966 Broder June 20, 1950 2,521,168 Houlihan Sept. 5, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 929,031 France June 23, 1947 

